Super_Uwe

My mate is a Fulham fan, said yesterday was his best performance to date. The reality with him is whether or not you can get him to perform on a regular basis. That has been his problem from day 1 in English football. Absolutely no question marks over his ability, just whether or not he has the dedication and attitude to showcase his talent. Look at JWP, he performs to a consistent level week in week out. Some better weeks than others, but he very rarely gives you a 6 out of 10 performance. Assuming Fulham stay up, I guess there is a fair chance he will end up there in the summer.

I think you have to say we are in a relegation battle, purely because our form is utterly atrocious and there is little sign of it changing. 6 points from our last 11 games and 20th in the form table. Continue on that path until the end of the season and we'd end up on about 37 points... Thankfully this season there is only really one relegation spot left to resolve. Almost certain that WBA's goal difference will do for them, regardless of any uptick in form. Sheff Utd looked like they might get their act together, but now look like they are done for tbh. However to get relegated we will need to finish below all of Brighton, Burnley, Newcastle and Fulham. That would require a fail of epic proportions and I think we should just about have enough in the tank.

Pretty much agree with you. We had an incredible year of football prior to the start of the injuries. Champions League form over a sustained period since that Leicester result. But we clearly have a very light squad and we have paid the price. RH has a very specific way of playing, and on the whole the players have done the job for him. However it's clear he needs to rebuild in the league. We are in danger of getting sucked into a relegation scrap. I am glad to see him talking about playing a back 5 as we need to get some points on the board. A couple of 0-0s will do for me tbh 😃 And like you say, we really have got a chance in the cup this year. Overwhelming majority of Saints fans under the age of 50 won't have any personal memories of 1976, 45 years is plenty long enough for some major silverware (as much fun as the JPT was, it ain't major silverware!).

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1399431/brexit-news-switzerland-uk-take-on-eu-deal-spt The very very slow march towards EFTA (and possibly EEA) membership seems to be underway. Not just the Express but also politicians like Diane Dodds of the DUP, who are at least saying they wouldn't mind the "Swiss model" in principle. This is significant as neither could be described as Remoaner sympathisers... As I've mentioned many times, this whole sorry process is about saving face for all sides. There is no benefit for the UK and EU moving miles apart. A matter of time before politicians realise that.

We're a few weeks in now and it's fairly obvious the consequences of the UK leaving the Single Market and customs union are going to be pretty hefty. We aren't seeing anything too "drastic" right now as actually many businesses did pay attention and stockpile/prepare for Jan 1st. But as volumes increase with dwindling stockpiles and lifting of Covid restrictions, it's highly likely there are going to be issues. With time UK businesses will adapt to the new trading regime, but very few UK industries relying on trade with Europe are going to be better off IMO. It will all boil down to how many losses from UK/EU trade can be absorbed by increased domestic demand and new opportunities across the globe.

Absolutely delighted for him. Let's hope he can keep it going. Also encouraging to see another new signing doing so well. Makes a massive difference for clubs like ours, especially given the relatively eye-watering fees we've paid out over the past 4-5 years.

On the whole I welcome the fact a deal has been agreed. The myth of no deal is finally put to bed. Doesn't look like there is going to be any sort of implementation period though. On many levels I really don't think that is going to be a good idea. Primarily it's totally unacceptable for businesses as a whole to have a completely new legal regime that they have been given a week's notice on. However I guess there may be some room for parliamentary debate next week.

There is no definitive answer on what happens at 11pm on 31 December if both sides continue to talk. Negotiations would neither have failed nor succeeded. One for the legal beagles tbh...

Both sides still talking. Maybe that's the cunning plan after all - keep running down the clock, get the ball down in the corner flag and play for extra time..."We did try our best, guv"🤣

David Davis with his view on the BBC website today - seems he's expecting an extension of some sorts. A "sort of freeze" Former UK Brexit Secretary David Davis told BBC Breakfast the probability of a deal was "still high" but there would be compromise on both sides and the "big decisions won't be this afternoon between the prime minister and president of the commission but in wires running hot between Berlin and Paris and other capitals". He said: "My suspicion is when it gets to the end of the month there is no time to ratify... so they will have to do some sort of freeze in place of current customs arrangements to take us through the few months until everybody from the European Parliament to the Walloon parliament actually give their opinion." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55191436

Everyone in Europe is going to be impacted by it. But that's what is going to happen due to the UK leaving the SM/CU, rejecting the Four Freedoms, etc. We have repeatedly refused to accept any of them and want to go our own way. It will be interesting to see how many areas of UK-EU trade continue unimpeded over the next 6 months, services in particular (where we have a big surplus with the EU, not that you ever hear about that...)

Well I guess we really are in the closing stages now, like many people I have no idea what the UK and EU are going to agree (if at all). There is probably just about enough time for some kind of deal, maybe accompanied with a new implementation period to kick the worst effects of regulatory borders down the road while both sides try and recover from Covid. I am not sure any of our politicians have grasped how much difference being a third country outside the SM and CU will be in terms of customs checks, paperwork, border delays etc. Too late now though, unless there is some epic caving in or fudge agreed.

37 days to go until the end of the transition period. It will be interesting to see if there is a fully operational border in force from 1 January. That's the default position and so far the EU/UK haven't said anything much about the implementation of border/customs controls, other than "we're ready". Scratch the surface and you'll find many with a background in customs/haulage/transport who are concerned. Because being prepared for customs/regulatory changes isn't the same as having a guaranteed smooth flow of lorries in Kent, for example. The flip side is we are currently in alignment with the SM and CU as part of the transition period. It doesn't necessarily *have* to change if a deal is reached and both sides agree to some sort of new "implementation period". Maybe it could be sold as an agreement to get us all through the worst of Covid? I'm in no way expecting that to happen, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did...remember, both sides need to save face.

41 days until the end of the transition period. Still no real idea where we are going. Public generally doesn't seem particularly engaged with it all either. Strange times.

Win and we go top! Possibly for no more than a day though 😆 I'm just going to enjoy it for as long as possible. We have been running at top 6/7 form for a whole year now, if we can keep clear of injuries this season there is no reason why we can't do something incredible.

It's not going to be exactly the same, I'm not suggesting it will be. The UK and EU will need to agree on something bespoke, if they reach agreement at all. The Norway/EFTA model is IMO the closest of the available models out there. As for freedom of movement, I agree it is very very unlikely to be retained. But who knows? The whole Brexit process has done the job of significantly reducing net migration from the EU. And if most net migration now comes from non-EU countries, it hardly seems worth the fuss. But that's politics for you. https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/long-term-international-migration-flows-to-and-from-the-uk/#:~:text=Net migration to the UK%2C the difference between immigration and,the year ending March 2015.&text=Net migration of EU citizens,the June 2016 EU referendum.

More of the same noise in public from both sides. Have felt all along we will end up with some sort of EFTA/Norway style deal, only sold in a different format. As Dutch PM Rutte was quoted as saying yesterday, "It would be crazy for the outside world if the UK and the EU will not be able to come to an agreement". Can't argue with that really...

Exactly! Welcome home Theo (if it happens, which it might not 😆)

100% agree. We should concentrate on Djenepo and see if he can prosper this season. He's only 22 and has time on his side. Boufal hasn't convinced our last 4 managers. We should all be honest and accept that he's not going to make it here. Either way I don't mind if he stays this season or not, financially I guess we would rather cash in now, but if he goes on a free then so be it. I'd wish him well as he's a cracking player when on form.

I can't remember where I read it, but since the international break in November we've been 5th in the form table (that was after the City game, possibly we've dropped a place or two after last night). This season reminds me a lot of 97/98, we finished 12th after the standard 90s dreadful start to the season.

The simple thing to do is sit back and wait and see how the Bundesliga "restart" goes. If the German teams can't make it work, then it's probably fair to say that the PL and EFL won't be able to do it either. Of course life isn't simple, and maybe there are some legal challenges going on in the background with player contracts for example. I have no idea. But that would seem a sensible idea right now.

I'd certainly agree coronavirus changes a hell of a lot, not sure the article is particularly irrelevant though as it outlines the UK's position with regard to being a service-based economy. If the argument is the UK has leverage over the balance of goods it imports from the EU, by the same token we don't have that leverage over services, and services are currently the biggest part of our economy.

Good little article on the situation facing services. UK exports more services to the EU than the other way round, which is rarely mentioned in public debate (all the focus is on goods and the fact the UK imports more from the EU than the other way round). I think it's probably inevitable that we will end up with a deal on services, even more so in a post coronavirus world. Maybe some form of associate EEA membership? Not sure how the politics will work, but from the UK perspective I can't see much sense in trashing the bit of our relationship that generates money for "UK plc"... https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8586/

Just to be clear on the Bundesliga restart date, May 9th is the suggested date by league officials. It's a theoretical date that things could potentially get going again on. It's all down to government and political approval which will be discussed in the next week or so. Not a guarantee by any means that it will be given the go ahead, but they are trying to resume if they possibly can (behind closed doors of course).

Slightly niche but Paul Wotton.